Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1887-12-15

child perhaps, bat she was 40 winsome a
creature she could not punish her for her
! triiing offences. After awhile "A mother love
! crcpt into her heart, aud she was not like an
| old maid. 4 sweetness crcpt into her life, Il
| feeling of sacred trust. The bitterness van
| ished, aud when Muior Cole returned for a
| brief visit To leave his little son with his
mother, Margaret was ready 10 give his Ut
tie one a portion of her heart The boy had
| loved her from the moment he began 10 dis
| tinguish faces.
| The hand of the infinite destiny had
! shaped their lives. IL was not Margaret s
desire 10 have the young people thrown to-
! gether, but they met and naturally fell IN
| love with each other, and no one knew the
| pain their love-making had caused her
| She schooled herself 10 meet the Major
| this time, and externally at least was calm.
! His coming MAS deferred from time to time,
SO when ut last he called upon her she was
! prepared 10 betray no emotion.
He was a handsome man of forty-five who
had seen only the bright side of life Yet,
used as he was TO society, his manner was
constrained when he met Margaret, he had
meant to be formal, but when she went for
ward 10 meet him she seemed SO little
changed, so like the Margaret of old, that
the blood rushed To his face and he stam-
mered out
"Miss Mar-Marg tret -
"Wiliam, she said, calmy, rs if the ut
tcrance caused ler no effort, lyon will let
me welcome you 10 my home again and
Rosie" here she turned and drew forward
the blushing girl who was seeking shelter
behind her lover "Rosie has been eager for
your coming"
Then they sat down the -four gathered
around the bright fire and talked Of COM
mon places but at last the conversation
drifted into other channels, and then they
talked of old times and old friends.
When Harry and the Major left there
was a rose blush upon Margaret's cheek
that We'd with the crimson Of the younger
girl, and Rosie, thoughtless child, ex-
claimed:-
"Why, Auntie, you look like a school
girl you are beautiful tonight What if
the Major would fall in love with you. l
wish he would"
After that the Major came frequently
too often, Harry sometimes thought, when
he longed to have his little love alone for a
| while. Still he had kiss ON the sly some
times, and if the Major saw, he wisely pre-
| tended blindness.
The young peoples wedding was TO take
place on New Years Day and the inter
vening time, from the Christmas holiday,
was To be full of merrymaking.
They were 10 follow the time-honored
English custom of burning the Yule log,
and Harry anxious To do something TO please
Rosie, had secured the woods and brought
| in lot of miStletoe, and the eve before
Christmas the Major came over 10
| help them TO trim with it, There were
! cvcrcreens and holly with shining leaves,
twincd into garfInus eat ti'- 'iti-tIrtoc WIS
| 10 form the Lovers Arch.
"Now remember" Harry said, "whoever
goes under il must pay the forfeit"
The Majoy looked at Margaret, twinkle
in his black eye. "Will you remember -
he asked.
For the first time Margaret betrayed con-
| fusion, TO cover which she framed some
trifiing excuse 10 leave the room.
"Auntie isn't herself, Of late-she seems
so distracted" said Rosie.
She stepped backward rs she said this,
and stood directly under the mistletoe.
! Quick as flash the Major had snatched 4
kiss from her pretty lips.
| Margaret entered again just then, and
Major Cole became so embarrassed that the
| laugh was upon the other side.
Father is renewing his boyhood again, -
| said Harry.
! Later, when the others We're engaged
| elsewhere, Margaret, returning 10 the par
! lor for something, noticed that part of the
| mistlctoe had become disarranged. She
| could scarcely touch it when standing on
| tiptoe, so she brought n low stool, and,
reaching up, replaced it. The work was
| just completed when the Major entered.
! Margaret was looking her sweetest She
| flushed with excitement, and her dark blue
very becoming She was, indeed, tempt
| ing sight, which the Major could not resist.
He went toward her, and suddenly grasp
! ing her hands, said with more energy than
| he was won't to throw into his tone:
Margaret, you are directly under the
mistletoe may claim the forfeit ?"
The blood rushed TO her face, then re-
ceeded, leaving her white and cold. She
would have drawn back, but he held her
| firmly where she stood. An angry flush
mounted TO her cheek. Glow dared he
after all-that had been"
But the Major either could or would not
see, drawing her closer, yet keeping her still
under the magic mistletoe, gave her n
hearty kiss.
A ringing laugh from the doorway, and
Harry and Rosie rushed In with evident
delight expressed upon their countenances'
go Auntie if only you could be per-
suaded to take pity upon fathers loneli'
ness he needs some one like you, said
Rose and Harry took Margaret's hand
that now lay cold and trembling within
his.
The Major stood silent. How could ht
tell Margaret that he loved her-had loved
her all through the years past ? He had
caused her pain, then, and could she believe
him now? ? Perhaps she had not quite for
given his unreasonable anger which hao
parted them.
Margaret was dropping rs the lily droop'
from the storm, but for her it was shower
of memories She looked up and their eyes
met. Perhaps he read there the secret sh'
had striven to hide. The years fell away
one by one. He was youth, she fail
young girl. He loved her. He held on
his arms, saying :-"Margie, l want you.
Margaret hesitated. a woman's pride
was mt stake, but Rosie crept TO her and
whispered, ''Think, Auntie, how lonely